Asbestos cleanup complete at Walpole, Massachusetts site

In Walpole, Massachusetts, the US EPA has completed the asbestos cleanup project at former mill building. During the month of January alone, the EPA removed nearly 30 tons of asbestos and asbestos-contaminated debris from the site, along with over 2,700 pounds of waste oil and other hazardous materials. The cleanup at the site had been ongoing since 1988. The 30-acre site was once home to a mill that has been abandoned for years. Despite the fact that the asbestos is gone, the site still needs a lot of work before it could be considered safe to use. “They still have a long way to go,” said Walpole Health Director Robin Chapell.

According to EPA Project Manager David Lederer, further work at the site will include excavating contaminated soil from the site and monitoring groundwater. Chapell said the town’s aquifer is safe and the EPA found no evidence of airborne asbestos particles during their air monitoring procedures.

Exposure to airborne asbestos particles has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. While there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure for mesothelioma. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms. However, the cancer kills most patients within 24 months of being diagnosed.

Lederer said the EPA believes the total cost for the cleanup might be as much as $13 million.

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/walpole/news/x1090825683/EPA-completes-asbestos-clean-up-of-former-mill-building